by DC Bastien
"Uh. You're welcome, I think." He started to push at the dangling cables, struggling not to snap anything in the cold of almost-vacuum around the Whale, then pushed in the patching material. When it was manoeuvred in two pieces into the gap, he welded them together and began the tedious process of beating and melting the external edges of the wound back shut.
"Remember to make sure it's air-tight, Cap'n."
"I know. I know. Don't want to vent air or worse. When I think it's done, send in Kre with an air-mask on and try putting the liquid on the inside to see if we get any out here."
"How close are you?"
"Almost done. Tell her to get her skates on. I've still got to re-attach the impulse engine and see how well I can streamline the wing."
"Will do. Just say when you want her to set out."
It was almost peaceful outside, and that's why Vadim didn't like it. If you looked behind you, you would see the vast, empty canvas that was space, dotted only occasionally by long-distant stars. Below was the ship. It was home, but out here - especially after an accident like this - you were reminded about how thin the gap between you and the void beyond was. More comforting was the giant Space Whale. Or... it would be normally. Now with them charging about and crashing into you, it wasn't really as reassuring as when the (usually) gentle giants visited peacefully on their ponderous cross-system migrations in search of the waste gases and stellar radiation that they preferred as 'food'.
Vadim did not like the quiet. In the quiet, you had nothing but yourself, your thoughts, and whatever demons you brought into the black with you.
He shuddered. "Hull's fixed. Get Kre to set out now."
"On my way, Captain."
Thankfully, his repairs had held up, meaning Kre could pull away the emergency seal below and get to work fixing things. Vadim didn't know how they'd managed before they'd taken her on as a paying passenger, but she more than held her own on the ship. Not to mention paying a modest, but well-received fuel levy for the privilege of hauling her, plus her 'equipment' and her philosophies on the benefits of rigorous, scientific thought and non-aggression around. Sure Loap had threatened to walk at first, but judging by the way he'd taken that hit, he'd gotten over his cultural dislike of his race's age-old foe.
Feeling the vibrations under his hand, Vadim nodded in appreciation and pushed his way over to his next task. He was no technician, even though he knew more than most ships' captains because of the tiny scale of their operation, so when he saw the mess that was his next job, his heart sank.
"You sure this is salvageable?" he asked.
"Yes. Or... enough. We can make re-entry if I can get it online, and you can reduce the drag. Might need most of it replacing when we do land, but we wouldn't explode through the attempt."
"Remind me to give you a briefing on how we do positive. 'We wouldn't blow up' is not a reassuring thing to say to people, you know?"
Biann sounded contrite. "Sorry."
"Just for future reference. Okay, Twinkle, what am I looking to do first?"
"You recognise the impulse engine, Cap'n?"
"You mean the thing that's hanging by a thread? Yes, I recognise it."
"Try to get it re-attached, and then I'll walk you through getting the power back into it."
It was hard. Very hard. By the time he'd finished, the air in Vadim's suit was getting thinner, and his brow was slick with cold sweat. Still, Biann sounded very optimistic, so it couldn't be too bad.
"Anything else before I come in and cock my leg up the wall?"
"Why would you do that?"
"Earth saying," he said, hurriedly. He didn't really want to go into crude detail.
"Well you can come and cock your leg all you want," Biann answered. "Because you've done a wonderful job, Cap'n."
"I'm coming back in. Get the coffee ready. I'm--"
"Captain!" Saidhe interrupted. "I'm seeing readings, coming up fast. There's another ship in the way."
"What?"
"Get back inside, fast! I'm broadcasting to it, telling it to take evasive action, but it's going to be a close run thing, and the debris could slice you to pieces."
"Great. Another reason not to EVA. Get the airlock ready, I'm coming in hot."
***
[Sianor: Cliffhangers! I love you.]
[Ashroe: Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen.]
[Sianor: No, no, it's right! I mean, I love when I read those things. I guess I just don't have the same confidence pulling them off.]
[Ashroe: Well... this is a safe place to play about. It's a nice way to be free of all constraints.]
[Sianor: That's what I love about fanfic. You can just write anything - even when it's not the same genre as the original. It's so freeing. You can do one-shots, or episode-like, or crazy violence, or weird pairings...]
[Ashroe: Yep. And the next chapter is going to be fun. You remember I told you who I wanted to bring in?]
[Sianor: Oh I wondered what you were going to do with that!]
[Ashroe: Wait and see. I know you don't love him like I do, but I hope you'll warm to him. I've been around enough fandoms by now to... well. Have a 'type'. And he's my type.]
[Sianor: You want me to take Vadim on?]
[Ashroe: Please, that would work perfectly.]
***
Chapter Three - Mission: Collision
"Tell me I ain't gonna have to go back out there and fix more damage, Sai. Because if I have to?"
"You don't have to," Saidhe replied, swirling her chair around in a jangle of scarves, little gems, and charms.
"I thought the Judge was going to broadcast a warning."
"He did, but you can't expect the whole galaxy to have heard it; and even if they did, when a Whale travelling this fast is headed towards you, there's not much you can do about it."
"I still want to know how in all the afterlives it can travel this fast and we're only just finding out about it. If they could go this turbo without - you know - breaking ships to bits - it would make my life a whole lot easier."
"And your services cheaper," the Judge said, as he entered the bridge.
"But faster. So less money, more quick," Vadim argued.
"You're feeling cheerier than usual today," the older man said, with a wry little smile. "Something you want to tell us?"
"Nope. Maybe I'm just happy someone else got hit. You know, means we're not as dumb as I thought."
"Captain!" Saidhe was scandalised.
"Oh, come on. If you can't laugh at yourself then you might as well stop laughing. So tell me, did the other guy make it?"
"His ship was pretty much ruined on impact. He survived, but he's going to need to board us and either be towed or taken to the next place we dock," the Hleen pilot answered.
"Oh good, I hope he can pay well."
"As well as an Ur-salary will permit," the Judge replied. "And remember: if you withhold aid from any citizen, when you can provide it..."
"Wait. Why are you even saying that?"
Peters narrowed his eyes, but he kept his voice level. "Just to remind you. Gently."
"You say that like I'm going to airlock the poor bastard."
"You know, it's such a relief to hear you won't be doing that to me, Kip. For old time's sake, if nothing more. Maybe you'd fancy telling me what you did to this poor space cow to get it in such a hurry? Maybe you tried some of your charming wit?"
Vadim had the newcomer up against the wall, both hands grabbing at his Ur-Enforcer jacket, before the last syllable died on his lips. The slighter, taller man was barely lifted up onto the balls of his feet, and he didn't seem at all surprised by the physical proximity - or threat.
"Avery," Vadim growled. "You sack of shit. I thought I told you, if I saw you again--"
"I know, I know. You said you'd shoot me, and then eviscerate me. Or was it the other way around? Threatening an Ur-Official is a serious crime, you know. You could end up with an even longer record, if I was inclined to book you. Isn't that right, your H
onour?"
Vadim landed a punch, but it hit the bulkhead to the left of Avery's head. The dull, metallic sound reverberated through the bridge.
"I missed you too," Avery said, not even blinking.
"Get us to the nearest breathable atmosphere," Vadim snarled at his pilot, his eyes never leaving the Enforcer's.
"...yes Captain."
"And get this uptight dick to help out. We're not carrying any dead weight."
"Oh, please. I'm more than capable of assisting on a little run-around like this, Kip. Give me some credit. I actually remember my training."
Vadim dropped him, shoving past the Judge's careful nudge to the arm, and off the bridge.
***
[Sianor: You know, I found it hard to get into Avery. Probably because he has so little screen-time.]
[Ashroe: It's one of the reasons I love him, actually. Means you get more chance to play with his backstory and character without canon ruining your theories. Means he can be more of a dick, too, because you'd not want someone who was a pain in the ass as main cast.]
[Sianor: Never thought of it like that. They can be a bit more morally dubious, you mean?]
[Ashroe: Yep. Plus nothing turns me on like 'mysterious, angsty, hidden backstory'. I just prefer it when they leave it vague enough.]
[Sianor: Better than it falling flat. I can't wait to see where this goes!]
***
"I find myself at your mercy again, your Honour," Avery said, as Vadim stormed off.
"It's not my ship, son, and you know it."
"True. But your support in this is appreciated."
"I'm not taking sides between you two, but I'm not going to see either of you sink. You should know that," the Judge said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I shall report your vessel's loss to the Ur."
"Appreciated, Sir."
Avery's heels snapped together with an audible click, and he waited for the official to leave.
"Hello again, Saidhe," he said, when they were alone.
"Hello."
"Not still sore about the last time we met, are you?"
"Nope. I love it when we're held up for cargo examinations that make us late for our drops."
"Would you rather I didn't act on intelligence, and potentially left you open to committing crimes, or worse?"
"Worse?"
"Yes," he said, hands clasped smartly behind his back. "There could be something dangerous. Incorrectly packed. You could end up sick, or..."
"Or what?" Saidhe did not like the Human inability to say what they really meant. "Do you mean 'dead'? Because I'm pretty sure that fertiliser can't kill me."
"If it's fertiliser, no. If it's poisonous, or processed down the line to being explosive?"
"It was fertiliser!"
"So we found out."
"Do you have someone else you could annoy?"
"When we're having so much fun?" He paced closer, hands moving to grip the shoulders of her chair. "Saidhe. You wound me."
She didn't rise to the bait, her hands continuing to fly over the controls. Without Loap to assist, piloting was much more complicated. Yes, they might be Whale-clamped, but that didn't mean she should just ignore where they were. If the Whale went the wrong way, or did something else unexpected, it could cost them precious time.
"Speaking of wounds, I heard you had a mishap back on Antion? Anything I can help with?" Avery asked, when it was clear he wasn't going to get a response.
"No."
"Really? An expert on Roq physiology are you? Stocked with medical supplies?"
"And you are?"
"As a matter of fact, I am. Enforcers aren't just about checking the cargo for problems. We bring assistance as much as law. Where's the poor thing?"
"You say that in his hearing and him injured or not you'll be laughing from... from the other face!"
"...whilst I appreciate the attempt at colloquialism, I'm going to have to pass. And I think I can take a little gecko, especially if he's been winged. I'll find him myself."
"Don't even think about--"
"About what? Speaking to the Captain? Oh, don't worry. He's all bark and no bite. Not these days, anyway."
Saidhe muttered something most definitely Hleen under her breath.
"I will," Avery promised.
She winced, but tried not to let it show on her shoulders. Teeth firmly gritted, she waited for the footsteps to vanish.
"Mes, aren't you supposed to stop me putting my foot in it?"
"What would you have liked me to say?" the ship asked.
"Anything. God. You could have put a fake alarm up or something. I don't know. Declare it an 'all hands in quarters' event somehow."
"I will remember you require social assistance in future." Messenger's speakers didn't intone any sarcasm, but it was there in the words.
"I love you too."
***
[Ashroe: We ready to drop the bombshell?]
[Sianor: I think so. I'm so hyped to finally put the meta into practice.]
[Ashroe: There's been enough hints at it in canon.]
[Sianor: I was soooo worried they were going to get cancelled and we'd never see them develop the mythos.]
[Ashroe: One of these days, they'll make a show without filler, and just focus on the uberplot or character development.]
[Sianor: Nah. I don't think so. There's too many set pieces they like to do, and too many First Season things they have to do.]
[Ashroe: I live in hope. I know I should know better at my age, but I'm still going to hope.]
[Sianor: I guess that's why you're still writing, and watching.]
[Ashroe: And if nothing else, even if they mess up, if they inspire me to tell my own stories, then I'm happy.]
[Sianor: I never really wrote more than just odd scratchings before.]
[Ashroe: Me too. I mean, before fanfic. I had lots of tiny ideas, but nothing big. I like the ability to pick up a world, and characters, and push them on. You get a guaranteed reader-base, and you get real feed-back. Well. Some of the time. Less so recently, unless it's my rosy-tinted glasses view of the Good Old Days.]
[Sianor: Would you ever write professionally?]
[Ashroe: Hell no. For one, I'm not good enough. For two, it's a difficult thing to break into.]
[Sianor: I would read your book if you wrote one!]
[Ashroe: Well... I might be musing on an idea. It's still early doors though. If I get anywhere, I'd love to get your input.]
[Sianor: Cools! Okay, time for more angst?]
[Ashroe: You read my mind...]
***
"Don't think that just because you patched Loap up that it makes us quits," Vadim huffed. He hadn't even turned to see who had joined him in the aft. He was curled in his usual hiding spot, knees pulled into his chest. Here, he could feel the low purr of the ship's engine, ticking over in standby to keep the vital services running whilst they hitched a ride on the Whale.
"I think we're past counting, don't you?" Avery asked. He slipped into the starboard nook, almost fitting, but his feet just dangling out.
"Cut to the chase. Why did we find you?"
"It's a small universe, Kip."
"No. No - it really isn't. I go through my life never meeting most people who exist. You? You keep turning up like a bad penny. No matter where I go... you're there."
"I could say the same thing about you."
Despite himself, Vadim laughed. "No."
"Think about it. If I'm not chasing you, and you're not chasing me..."
"I'm still not ruling it out."
"I know you too well. You're here for more than a job; you're always running at least three angles. You're in this system for the same reason I am... you're intrigued."
"Intrigued by what, exactly?"
"You know I wasn't born yesterday. Quit pumping me for information."
"Like that isn't what you were doing."
"I was at least subtle about it."
"Subtle! Hardly."
"Well tell me. You had to know there's been a sudden hike in crime out here. No local festivals or economic reasons behind it, just a boost in lawlessness."
"And you thought you'd find me somewhere the crime rate was going up?"
A snort. Avery stretched backwards, his booted feet sliding across the deck. "Yes. But not because I think you're responsible. Not even because I think you're profiting from it. Not entirely."
"Wasn't the impression you gave us last time you pulled us over."
